Anupam Kher takes dig at JNU students granted bail

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Bollywood actor Anupam Kher on Friday took a dig at JNU students Anirban Bhattacharya and Umar Khalid, who were granted six-month interim bail by a Delhi court in a sedition case.

“Only those can be considered as heroes who talk in favour of the country. How can those who talk against the country be hailed as heroes? Look how they (Khalid and Bhattacharya) are being greeted. They haven’t won some Olympic medal… They have been granted bail today (Friday),” Kher said while addressing a gathering of students on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus.

“We have laid the foundation of this nation. The national flag is in our hearts. Saying ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ is not a matter of debate,” he said to his audience comprising mostly Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad-affiliated students at the JNU’s administration block.

Meanwhile, about 20-25 people protested against Kher’s visit to the JNU in connection with the premiere of his movie and raised slogans like ‘Anupam Kher go back’ and ‘Modi ke talve chatna band karo’.

The protesters also held placards saying ‘dissent is not sedition’ and ‘don’t need nationalism certificate from you’.

“I will always keep the Hindustani in me alive… No power can stop this feeling,” Kher said.

Kher also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “After a long time, the nation has got a good prime minister. I was stunned by his speech at the Sufi festival,” the Bollywood actor said.

Director Vivek Agnihotri and Ashok Pandit of the Central Board of Film Certification also attended the event.